HARARE – The streets of Harare – Zimbabwe's capital city – were filled with unease this week as over 20 military tanks were sighted traversing the capital, sparking fears of a potential coup reminiscent of the November 2017 ouster of former President Robert Mugabe.
The movement of heavy military hardware through the city's affluent Borrowdale area on Wednesday morning caused widespread panic and speculation, particularly given the deepening divisions within the ruling ZANU-PF party and growing calls for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the military vehicles, mainly multi-purpose armoured cars and tanks, on Borrowdale Road, startling motorists who quickly shared videos online. The military vehicles and gear were reportedly coming from 2 Infantry Brigade, formerly Cranborne Barracks, and bound for Alfida Barracks in Domboshava, home to the 2 Field Regiment.
In an attempt to quell the rising anxiety, government officials have dismissed the possibility of a coup, claiming the army was conducting routine drills. Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana was quick to take to social media platforms, saying it's "nothing to be concerned about".
His sentiments were echoed by presidential spokesperson George Charamba who, through his X handle, dhonzamusoro007, stated: “Support your Zimbabwe Defence Force, ZDF, as it goes through the routine of ensuring all its battle systems are in tip-top state!!! #ZDF, KEEPING YOU SECURE AND DEFENDED.”
Despite these assurances, the presence of military vehicles in the capital has fuelled speculation of a power struggle between President Mnangagwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, the man who led the 2017 coup and who reportedly still commands loyalty within the military.
Before 2017, a coup was unthinkable in Zimbabwe, but it is now a possibility openly spoken about amid rising tensions between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga.
Mnangagwa reportedly held a meeting with military chiefs on Sunday after returning from Ethiopia for an African Union summit, where he was told that the push to abolish term limits being championed by his loyalists was now a “national security threat.”
The security chiefs also warned against Mnangagwa’s supporters goading Chiwenga and soldiers as witnessed recently at the National Heroes Acre. Mnangagwa addressed selected journalists on Monday, disavowing the Chiwenga critics and pledging to step down when his term ends in 2028.
The warning by security chiefs came, accordingly to sources, in anticipation of similar antics at the National Youth Day event at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo on Friday.
One military source said contrary to the official line that the movement of the military vehicles was long planned, Chiwenga’s military allies were in fact sending a message to Mnangagwa and his loyalists – toe the line or face confrontation.
Mnangagwa is a wily old fox who learned lessons from Mugabe’s 2017 ouster and is unlikely to be easily pushed without a fight, but even he would have been alarmed by the commentary accompanying viral videos of the army’s movement on Harare’s streets.
“Maybe the country is about to get freedom,” a male voice said in one video, watching a tank roll past from the window of what appeared to be a multi-story building.
The political uncertainty has been further exacerbated by viral videos of a local prophet predicting a violent coup. The unnamed prophet warned that Zimbabwe would witness another military takeover, but this time with significant bloodshed.
“The Lord has spoken, and I must pray for Zimbabwe. I saw another coup—one that will bring chaos and bloodshed. This will not be like before; this time, there will be much suffering, and many lives will be lost,” the prophet declared.
This prophecy aligns with growing concerns over a potential military intervention following reports that a succession deal between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga has collapsed. The alleged agreement, which was said to guarantee Chiwenga the presidency after Mnangagwa’s first term, has reportedly been abandoned, deepening the rift between the two leaders.
Further fueling speculation, senior ZANU-PF Central Committee member and war veteran Blessing Geza has openly warned that Mnangagwa’s leadership is in jeopardy. Geza, a former liberation war fighter with deep military connections, has suggested that veterans will take drastic steps to remove the president.
Reports indicate that secret meetings have been held between senior military officials and war veterans to strategise against Mnangagwa’s extended rule under the controversial #ED2030 agenda. Sources suggest that Chiwenga’s loyalists within the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) are growing increasingly frustrated and may be planning to act.
The current developments mirror the political landscape leading up to the 2017 military coup that removed Mugabe from power. Then-General Chiwenga, backed by key military figures, orchestrated the takeover after Mugabe attempted to position his wife, Grace Mugabe, as his successor by dismissing Mnangagwa from the vice presidency.
Since assuming office, Mnangagwa has systematically sidelined Chiwenga and purged military officers loyal to him. Several key figures from the 2017 coup, including Perrence Shiri and Paradzai Zimondi, have died under mysterious circumstances, prompting speculation that Mnangagwa orchestrated their removal to weaken Chiwenga’s influence.
That coup, orchestrated by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) under then-General Constantino Chiwenga, was backed by key military figures such as the late Air Marshal Perrence Shiri and retired General Sibusiso Moyo. The military’s intervention followed Mugabe’s decision to fire Mnangagwa as Vice President, a move seen as clearing the way for his wife, Grace Mugabe, to seize power.
Mugabe’s ouster paved the way for Mnangagwa to assume the presidency, but growing unease within the ruling party has reignited fears of another military takeover.
Despite these purges, Chiwenga retains significant support within the security sector, and there are indications that his faction may be preparing to challenge Mnangagwa’s rule.
Sources claim that a high-level meeting was recently held in Mashonaland Central, a region historically associated with political coups. Insiders suggest that the military is growing increasingly disillusioned with Mnangagwa’s leadership and may be plotting against him. One source noted:
“You hear what credible war veterans like Blessing Geza are saying. He is not hallucinating; he is communicating a message from the script, and you must listen to him carefully.”
Adding to the uncertainty, another prominent prophet, Ian Ndlovu, has issued a stark warning:
“We must continue to pray for our nation… Two trains are set to collide. I personally pray for peace for all ordinary Zimbabweans, but change must not be stopped, in whatever form it needs to come.”
Unlike in 2017, Mnangagwa has fortified his grip on power, appointing loyalists to key military and intelligence positions while consolidating control over ZANU-PF and state institutions. However, history has shown that even the most heavily fortified leaders can be overthrown if military discontent reaches a tipping point.
Despite official dismissals, speculation persists that Vice President Chiwenga may have deployed the tanks to intimidate Mnangagwa amid their intensifying power struggle.
Chiwenga, who was in Mutare attending the funeral of Sekuru Leonard “Mwatambandini” Kashiri—the father-in-law of Zanu PF National Chairperson and Minister of Defence, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri—has not publicly commented on the developments.
Adding to the uncertainty, war veteran and Zanu PF Central Committee member Blessed 'Cde Bombshell' Geza recently warned that war veterans would take drastic steps to remove Mnangagwa. His remarks have intensified speculation that a military faction loyal to Chiwenga could be preparing to act.
Reports suggest that senior military officials and war veterans have held secret meetings to strategize ways to block Mnangagwa’s attempts to extend his rule beyond his current term under the controversial #ED2030 agenda.
Sources indicate that the rift between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga has reached a breaking point, with Chiwenga’s allies accusing Mnangagwa of reneging on a 2017 coup agreement that allegedly promised him the presidency after Mnangagwa’s first term.
